Second Chances
by Aerilon452
Summary: 50 years later Helen is looking for John. She is in a new home, a new country and has something to tell John.
1. Chapter 1

Summary: 50 years have past, Helen goes to find John. **A/U**

Disclaimer: I own noting of Sanctuary

Rating: T+

Pairing: Helen and John

**A SECOND CHANCE:**

Helen walked down the street in Paris as she headed to the Louvre Museum. She had heard word that John was in Paris somewhere. As she walked along the street she felt someone watching her, following her. This wasn't good. She had to get to John, get his protection where the local government wouldn't provide it. Her life was not the only one in danger this time, but that of her 10 month old son. Helen and John now had a son. She needed to find him to tell him. It had been 19 months since he had last seen John. Helen needed to see him.

The feeling of being followed grew to the point she had the slight edge of panic rising inside of her. Helen ducked into the first building she had come to, an office building. There, in the lobby, ten feet from her was John. He stood there wearing his leather trench coat, a black turtle neck, black suit pants, and his habitual Italian boots. But his face was different. John now had a beard just around his mouth and his hair had grown out to where he could brush it back from his face. "Thank god." She breathed out going to him.

John saw Helen come through the door of the lobby where he held a fake office. It was just a place he could go to, change clothes and run to yet another location. She looked amazing and it didn't escape his notice that she carried a child. But that could wait for later. He knew she was in trouble and he had to get her out of sight. John had caught sight of two men tailing him a few days ago. Now Helen was here and trouble had followed her. Going to her quickly John took her by the hand to lead her to the stairwell.

In the stairwell John pulled down a grate that led to the air vents. He took of his leather coat and tossed it in there before levering himself up and inside. He reached out his hand to Helen. She looked from his hand back to him and then to his hand again. Helen carefully handed him the baby boy where he was as gentle as he could be holding him close. She then pulled herself up and inside. John handed her the child so he could get out of the vent to retrieve the grate. Again he climbed into the modest vent and replaced the grate. He was happy the vent was big enough that a person could sit up in. Yet another reason he chose the building.

Helen held their son close and breathed a sigh of relief. She had opened her mouth to thank him but John motioned for her to be quiet. Ten seconds later the sound of the stairwell door banged opened and thunderous footsteps echoed all around them. He signaled to her to move further into the vent and she understood. There would be no talking until they were in another section of the vent. They moved along for ten minutes when Helen noted that a few things were scattered about in the vent. No wonder he knew where he was going. John moved past her and into the T junction where he came to a stop. "Is it safe to talk?" Helen whispered.

"Yes," John ran his fingers through his hair, "What are you doing here?" His plan had been to come to her in a month or two when heat had died down. John was still on everyone's watch list even though 50 years had passed since the incident with Hollow Earth.

"I had to find you." Helen answered leaning back against the side of the vent as she stretched out her legs. She watched as John stretched out his arm and his index finger gently brushed the cheek of their son. The baby smiled and grasped John's finger in both of his tiny hands.

"He's my son isn't he?" John asked, but he knew the answer. It was written all over the boy, the black hair and the blue eyes. "I can see myself in him."

"Yes, he is your son." Helen lightly cupped John's face with her free hand. She caressed his scar with her thumb. "I've been looking for you for 17 months. This time you hid very well." Ever since she had found that she was with child again, John had been on her mind non stop. She worried about what he would say, what he would do, when he found he had another child. Just seeing the look of amazement on his face was proof enough that he had changed so much in the last 19 months.

"Well, I had no choice about that. A U.N member died triggering the release of information about me to Interpol, Europol, MI6 and every other intelligence agency in the godforsaken world." John replied keeping his eyes on his son. This is what he had missed out on with Ashley. He wondered why Helen was here with him now. "It's not safe for you to be with me with our son."

"I was heading home when I got an alert that you were close to my location." Helen let her hand drop from his face. "I've already kept one child from you and that didn't turn out well. Not again." She slid closer to him, next to him, and placed their son in his arms. "This is your son, James Montague Magnus-Druitt."

"I never thought…" John choked on his words. He couldn't speak as he held his child. The small perfect infant was his son. John's heart swelled with emotion, with love, and with joy. Helen could have kept this from him, hidden their son away, but she chose to find him and let him see his son. He rested the side of his head against her making sure to keep his eyes on his son, on James.

"We'll have to get out of the country; the three of us." Helen said feeling her eyes droop close. She hadn't realized how tired she was until she was nearly falling asleep against him.

"For now I can get us somewhere close by so we can make a plan." John had gotten into the habit of only making short jumps. The office he held up on the top floor of the building was short enough of a jump for him. The less he used his power the weaker the creature inside of him got. It was just one of the ways he could fight back. Wrapping his arm around Helen John teleported the three of them to the office he held in the building where they could stay.

**TWO HOURS LATER:**

Helen sat bolt upright in a strange place. "John…" she looked around and saw him standing near the large window with their son in his arms. He just swayed back and forth lightly humming. It reminded her of the times when John had held her. Seeing him holding their son made her heart twist in regret for him never having held Ashley in that way. But it had been safer for all of them at the time. John hadn't been the sanest person in the world. "You look perfect holding him."

John turned to Helen mindful to keep swaying, "Thank you for giving me the chance to hold my son." He wanted nothing more than to stay with them, to watch his son grow. If he wanted to protect Helen and James he would have to disappear again. The further away he could get the safer he would make Helen and his son. They were all that mattered to him now. John kissed his son's brow feeling immense joy and pride at the perfect creation he held in his arms. He and Helen created a beautiful baby not once, but twice.

"Montague John Druitt, you are not leaving us again. I forbid it." Helen knew the look on his face. It was the same look he had had that night before she fell asleep. He was planning to run. Helen couldn't lose him again. She could not lose the father of her son. She had had 113 years to forgive John and then an extra 50 to let go of her anger. John was her love and she would do anything to keep him.

"Helen, it's not safe for you or our son to be near me." John was trying to do the noble thing and let them go. He needed them to be safe so he could do what he had to do. John needed to find and eliminate all the information about him. That would take time and it would be dangerous; too dangerous for Helen.

"You think it's safe for us?" Helen asked rising to her feet from the inflatable bed. John must have put her there. "Everyday I see the world and it dangers. Those dangers are coming for us. John, me and our son would be safer with you than with out." She crossed the room to him. One hand went to John's face, the other rest lightly on top of James's head. "The world governments just haven't targeted you, their targeting us, and Nikola. None of us are safe anymore. Nikola has gone underground, I've had to move to another country, and you went off the grid. The only safe place I have is with you." Helen rested her forehead on his shoulder still feeling her hormones flying all over the place.

"Where do you propose we go?" John leaned his face into Helen's palm. There would be no way to argue with her, not when he held his son. She had too much power over him again. Not that he minded anymore. "It's no use arguing with you is it?"

Helen scrunched up her nose and shook her head, "No, it's really not." She smiled a genuine smile for the first time in days. "As for the location I would say we go home. I have a new Sanctuary in Australia."

John only smiled. In all the years he had been alive, never once had he been down under. Now was as good a time to visit. "How are we going to get there?"

"I thought you would just teleport us." Helen had naturally assumed that John would use his powers. He never not used his powers.

John sighed, "I don't make long jumps anymore."

"Have your powers weakened?" Helen was growing concerned.

"No, I just try to keep the creature as weak as possible. When I make long jumps it tends to feed on the energy I expend in making he jump." John explained. His son moved in his arms still deep asleep. John leaned over and kissed the baby's forehead.

"Oh, that's a good idea." Helen said, "Then I guess we'll fly. I have passports for James and myself." Helen pulled out the paper she had had forged for John, "And one for you." She handed it over.

John opened the passport with his right hand; "Jonathan Winters?" he gave Helen a look that only made her suppress a laugh. "Seriously?"

Helen cleared her throat, "James and I have matching passports bearing the names Hailey and Bennett Winters." She jerked her head over to where her satchel lay. Inside were forged passports, ID's, and money. "Please, come with us."

John shook his head, "Do I have a choice?" Then again he knew he didn't just by the look in Helen's eyes. She was determined and when she got it in her head to do something no one could stop her.

"No, you really don't have a choice. I'm not leaving Paris without you." Helen kissed John on the cheek and then kissed their son. She backed away from them to go to her discarded satchel where she pulled out a burn phone to call the airport. A few minutes later Helen had a reservation number under her alias for three tickets out of Paris.

"All sorted?" John asked.

"Yes, we have three tickets booked for Japan where we will take a connecting flight to Sydney." Helen answered turning the burn phone off. She tucked it into the left front pocket of her jeans so her hands were free. "You should change John and then we can leave for the airport." Helen held out her arms for her son. She was dying to hold him again.

John reluctantly placed his son in Helen's arms. He had spent the last two hours holding him. John wasn't ready to let go of his son yet. Making quick work of his clothes John switched out his black turtle neck for a light blue button up shirt, then he shed his shoes and black suit pants in favor of worn scuffed leather pants and biker boots. He even went as far as to mess his hair up to where it looked like he had just crawled out of bed. If he was to hide in plain sight, John learned long ago that he would have to change his style. For the last few months he had grown accustomed to the feel of leather against his skin and it hadn't been as bad as he thought it would be. He then set about packing up the small amount of clothes he had in a black duffle bag that he could take on the flight with him. For now he wouldn't be coming back to this space.

Helen couldn't help but to watch the way John moved, the way he changed his clothes. This was how she got pregnant. The last time she and John had shared a bed he had been changing from a mission she had sent him on. Over the comms she had heard an explosion, then John teleported back a little charred, and a lot angry. He wasn't angry at her, just at the people who had tried to blow him up. She had followed him up to his room and from there they had lost two days to each other. Helen didn't know what had happened to her, what possessed her to take him to bed and let her have his way with her body. Then John was gone and two months later she came up pregnant. This time she made the choice of involving John in her life, in the life of their son.

"Ready to go?" John asked when he focused on Helen. She had been watching him again. He loved being watched by Helen.

"Always." Helen answered reaching for her satchel, but John picked it up for her. He secured the strap of his duffel across his chest and carried her bag as well. She was happy to have found him.

**AIRPORT:**

Helen, John and their son had made it through the ticket counter, through security, and now were waiting for the plane to board. She had used some of the cash to buy first class tickets for the three of them. Fewer questions were asked when someone traveled first class. Right now the waiting was the biggest factor. There was two hour window for them where John sat, he paced, he would sit again, or he would pace more. Helen caught his arm as he paced in front of her, "Darling, could you sit please."

John stopped and sat down next to Helen, angling his body so he could watch as his son slept against her. He was aware of everyone around them as he had to be for the sake of Helen and James. If his family got hurt then he wouldn't forgive himself. The smile wouldn't leave his face, not when he was looking at his son. "Want me to hold him for a while?"

Helen shook her head slowly, "No, he'll be awake in a little while. If you want you can feed him." She rested her head on John's shoulder looking at the bank of international clocks. All this waiting was killing her. Helen wanted to be in the air and heading home.

"Sure," John kissed the top of Helen's head as he continued to watch the people move in and out of the different boarding areas. "Have 50 years been kind to your team?" john asked. The last time he had seen any of them had been the last time he was in Helen's old Sanctuary. When they had spent two days together she had been in the London Sanctuary working with the well aged man Declan Macrae had turned into.

"Kate stayed on in Hollow Earth where she fell in love with Gariss. She is still as young as the day she left. Her daughter works with me and is now my second in command for the Sanctuary Network." Helen still heard the conversation she had had with Kate when the young woman had called about moving to Hollow earth permanently. It made her smile. "Will and Abby have been married for forty years; they had three children and the youngest, Adam, works with me. He studies the mind like Will used to. As for Henry, he now lives in England with Erica and has children of his own. He's never been a happier lycan. And my man servant is still with me."

"Sounds like they have all moved on," John commented.

"Will calls from time to time asking about his son. Henry continues to monitor and upgrade the Sanctuary security while his youngest Joshua works on site in my new Sanctuary. Kate does the odd job for me every now and then but her life is mainly in Hollow Earth." Helen said. She missed her friends, but that was the nature of her life. The people she knew moved on and grew older, where she remained the same and never changed. Perhaps that would be different now with John and their son James. Right on cue James stirred against her. He would be awake soon. Without looking Helen pulled out one of her son's bottled that had formula in it. She handed it to John, "Here, it just needs water added to it. Will you do that before he wakes up?"

"Sure." John took the bottle and went of the one of the vendors where he bought a small bottle of water. He came back shaking the baby bottle up. Helen was looking at him as if she wanted to burst out laughing. Sitting back down next to her John asked, "Do I really look that comical?"

"Yes and no." Helen shrugged effectively waking up their son. James immediately started to cry. John took him, cradling him close and offering the bottle. That seemed to placate their son to where he settled down again letting his father feed him. Helen's heart swelled with love. It was a feeling she thought would be long dead and then she and John had created another child. Again she thought, maybe their lives would work out where they could be together.

John beamed when his son settled down instantly for him. "I think our son likes me better." Helen lightly nudged his arm and then settled her head on his shoulder again. This was his perfect moment and it didn't matter that they were in an airport like normal people. Granted if they were normal then they wouldn't be on every Intelligence Agency watch list.

"What a coincidence…. So do I," Helen agreed keeping her eyes on her son. She couldn't stop watching him. Sleep was creeping up on her again, she could fall asleep leaning against John, but a woman spoke over the loud speaker that their flight was boarding. Helen stood with John and walked towards the loading door.

A few minutes later Helen, John and their son were in first class. "I think we made a clean break." John muttered still holding James close. The hard knot he had had in the pit of his stomach started to loosen. The terrible feeling he had, he knew, wouldn't go away until he, his son, and Helen were walking through the door of her new Sanctuary.

"Who do you think was following us?" Her search for John was no secret. Helen had been using all her contacts to locate him.

"I don't know. It could have been an agent from Interpol." John mused, "They have been finding me more and more no matter where I go." He scoffed and shook his head. "It started with the Prime Minister and Adam Worth." The British Prime Minister had compiled a file on him. John had thought he had gotten it taken care of, but then 30 years ago Lillian Lee had found him and showed him the file.

"We'll take care of it. First, we have to get you home." Helen draped her arm under John's so she was touching her son as John continued to hold him.

**SANCTUARY:**

**AUSTRALIA**

Maryn Freelander stood at the open door of the Sanctuary watching the construction crew leave. The renovations were two weeks behind schedule, the abnormals still had to double up in rooms, and the only rooms that were completed and furnished were the rooms belonging to Magnus, the baby, herself, Adam, Joshua, and the Big Guy. "Magnus isn't going to like this." She sighed watching the trucks rumble away through the automatic gates.

"Just got message from Magnus," The Big Guy stood next to Maryn. "She is about an hour from here."

"How did she and the Little Man enjoy France?" Maryn asked trying to take her mind off the fact the Sanctuary was two weeks behind. "Did she find what she was looking for?"

"More like she found him," He grumbled leaning over the slight young woman to pull the door closed.

"Found who?" Maryn asked. She thought Magnus was going to France for the museums and to finesse a few million dollars from private companies. "The Little Man's daddy?" Maryn asked.

"Wait till you meet him," Biggie grumbled.

"Until then, I've got other contractors to call, the landscaper, and a few bills that have to be taken care of until the boss returns. Magnus left me with this list while Adam is working the two new residents." Maryn ran her hands through her black hair and sighed. She turned from the door and headed back to the temporary office Magus was using until hers was properly renovated. Maryn could at least be thankful that their bedrooms were finally finished.

"You're doing great here." He reassured. When Maryn had first gotten here she had had a hard time adjusting to the demands Helen had asked of her. The young Freelander had risen to the occasion and made herself valuable to the network. Maryn was making her mother proud and she made him proud.

"Thanks," Maryn smiled, "Could you check on Brain Boy and the new abnormals while I sort out this construction nightmare? Some times I wonder if agreeing to be Magnus's second in command was a good idea?" Maryn still had to check on Joshua to see when the EM Sheild would be up and working and the networked computers would be ready to use.

"Sure, but you're good at it." Biggie ruffled Maryn's hair and heard the slight purr she was known for. "Dinner is in the make shift kitchen when you're ready to eat." He added before ambling off to go and check on Adam. Sometimes he wished that Will was still working with them. It took too much time to train a newbie.

Maryn smiled and shook her head. She went back to the office that she was borrowing to make the first round of phone calls from a list of trusted companies that Magnus used. It was going to be an interesting evening.

In the car that had been waiting for her and John, Helen looked out the window as the new view sprawled before her eyes. She had happy to be in her new home with her son. Helen was equally happy to be home with John, the father of her son. Without looking she reached over and grabbed his hand.

John watched as the buildings thinned out until he saw one large structure, an abandoned catholic church. "What is it with you and living in churches?" John asked squeezing Helen's hand. He quite liked the gothic structures she chose to live in. Her last home had been the closest thing he had had to home again. Now he was going to have that chance again.

"I do run a Sanctuary, kind of implies a church atmosphere." Helen answered grinning at him. She leaned over and kissed his cheek. Soon she would be home where she could show John around. Helen would never have thought she would be thinking of showing John around anywhere. It was all she was thinking about, as well as her son and now the future she wanted for her family. John was apart of that and she wanted him to be with his son.

"What drove you to leave your last home?" John asked smiling at his son as the baby was content to lie in his lap. He leaned foreword dropping a light kiss on James's rosy cheek.

Helen watched John with their son, "It was attacked shortly after I found out I was carrying your child. Lillian Lee died and the Lotus team got daring. They decided to storm my facility and make a royal mess of things. I barely got the residents and my team out." The sting of intrusion still ate at her even 17 months later. But seeing John smiling down at their son made the hurt lessen.

"I'm sorry for what happened." John angled his head kissed Helen's temple. "It will get better."

"As long I can have you and our son my life will be easier." Helen replied, "And now we're home." The gates closed and the car pulled up in front of the massive carved wooden doors. Helen got out of the car to go to the trunk and get her satchel and John's duffle.

John moved quickly, "I'll take the bags, you take our son." He winked at Helen where she just smiled at him reaching out and taking James from John's arms. John hadn't been this happy in a long time. It was as if things were settling into place for him. The hard edge he had, the insatiable need for cruelty, was lessened. He still had the hunger to inflict pain, but it wasn't as much of a fight to keep himself human. John was finally in control and he hoped to stay that way.

Helen smiled at John once more before turning to her new home. She had been away for a month looking for John under the guise of searching for private investors. It made her wonder why Maryn never called her. There was still construction equipment strewn about the property. Cradling James close Helen waked to the front door. Her first stop would have to be Maryn. Until she found her second in command it was nice to be home.


	2. Chapter 2

Summary: 50 years have past, Helen goes to find John. **A/U**

Disclaimer: I own noting of Sanctuary

Rating: T+

Pairing: Helen and John

**A SECOND CHANCE:**

Maryn sat at Magnus's temporary desk listening to the contractor on the other end of the line. At this very minute she was watching a live video feed from said contractor's office. The man was kicked back with his feet up on his desk. This was a man who was supposedly suffering the loss of five of his employees. Humans were such liars. Lucky for her she had the best hacker in the world working with her. "Listen up, you bottom feeder, we paid you for a job that you only half completed. Now watch your bank account and kiss that money goodbye." Maryn nodded to Joshua who reversed the transfer. With a sadistic satisfaction Maryn smiled as the man sat up and tried to stop the transfer. "Have a nice day." She disconnected the call and breathed a sigh of relief.

"Are we vindicated now? Do you feel better?" Joshua Foss, the tech/hacker genius, asked in his cute British accent. He leaned a hip on the desk to watch over the Harouten Hybrid. She was ever the mystery to him. Maryn could touch someone and know instantly how to handle them where as no one knew how to handle her but Magnus. It made getting to know Maryn very difficult and Joshua had tried to get to know her. He knew he wanted a lot more form her than friendship after he had seen her sneaking back into the old Sanctuary one night reeking of another mans scent. That alone had made Joshua concerned; not about her, but about how he would act around her. Maryn was attractive and her sky blue feline eyes could cut right through someone.

"Yes, I do." Maryn kept smiling. "But now I get to find someone else to finish the lab, the Shoe, and the rest of the residential cells. Lucky for us our personal rooms were the first on the list to be completed." She reached for the phone again to dial the number of a construction guy who worked with abnormals. It was Ravi she should have called in the first place. At least he was an abnormal that she could beguile and or seduce into doing anything she wanted. "May I speak with Ravi please; tell him its Maryn calling. Yes, I'll hold."

"I'll leave you to it then." Joshua muttered heading out of the half finished office. Maryn was so dedicated to her job, to making Magnus proud. It was admirable. He no sooner rounded the corner then he ran into Magnus and a tall man he didn't know. "Hey doc." Joshua greeted with a smile.

"Joshua, how are you?" Magnus nodded her head shifting her son in her arms so he rested against her hip.

"Oh, I'm good. I watched and helped Maryn get even with the construction guy who failed to make good on his deal." Joshua smiled proudly. "Don't worry; nothing can blow back on you or the Sanctuary in anyway."

"Your father would be proud." Helen mentioned inclining her head.

"Yeah…" Joshua ruffled his hair. He knew Magnus hated when he had to conduct illegal business. "Well I'm gonna go eat and possibly sleep if I don't get a brilliant idea to improve security." He moved in close and dropped a kiss to the back of the baby's head. "You take care of your mum little man." And then he was off down the hall and back to the tech lab.

Helen smiled at her new resident werewolf. It was good to have a Foss in her house again. Henry had made sure that his son had known everything he could, but the boy was a natural with computers. It had taken very little teaching.

John quietly dropped his duffle and Helen's satchel to the floor watching the werewolf head down the hall. The young man seemed to be a mirror of his father. It was odd to see, but not entirely unexpected. Helen only worked with the best of the best. "He's…?"

"Henry's youngest son," Helen answered running her hand up and down James's back. She turned her head in the direction of her temporary office when she heard something slam. Without having to say anything Helen moved into the door to see Maryn behind her desk glaring at the phone. "Having trouble?"

Maryn had been on hold and then someone had hung up on her before even talking to her. It was rude and it made Maryn angry. She slammed the phone into the receiver. At hearing Helen's voice Maryn looked up feeling embarrassed. "Oh you know… the usual." She smiled at her boss and scrunched up her nose making a face at Little Magnus when he turned to look at her.

"What's going on?" John asked stepping into the office. He couldn't help but to smile at the way his son was laughing at the young girl making face at him.

"Is that him?" Maryn straightened looking at the man with the ruffled hair, the black shirt, and the leather pants. He looked more like one of Joshua's friends than the father of Helen's son.

Helen reached out her free hand to place it on Maryn's shoulder, "This is John, the father of my son."

Maryn looked back to John, then to baby James, and once again to John. "Damn, you two certainly do make a cute baby." She tickled James on his side. He laughed burying his face in Helen's hair. Maryn smiled at the boy once more and then she side stepped Helen to introduce herself to John and offering her hand. "I'm Maryn Freelander, nice to meet you."

"John Druitt, it's a pleasure." He took her hand in his and felt a slight shock. There was the lightest brush of another consciousness against his mind. It was coming from the girl. He took his hand back.

"Sorry," she smiled sweetly. "I'm a contact telepath." Maryn explained while Magnus tried not to laugh in the background. She wanted to know as much as she could from Druitt and she found what she wanted. Deep down all he wanted was his family and Helen. He would be no threat to them.

"Maryn," Helen looked at her computer. "Why is there a live video feed of some man in his office?" she recognized the man as the one who had started the renovations to the new Sanctuary.

Maryn knew her eyes got wide. "Well, the thing is… the man screwed us over." She turned to her boss. "We paid him handsomely for massive renovations. He only completed half of what he said he would and then asked for more money. We paid him a kings ransom." Maryn shrugged. "So I spent time on the phone with other contractors who will work for the same price. I found a company who will have no moral qualms about renovating a church. The site manager will be in this office tomorrow morning at 9am."

"Good work. Now about the live feed?" Helen inquired.

"Oh, that… well… I wanted to see his face when Joshua reversed the bank transfer after hacking into his company account to get our money." Maryn was trying hard not to laugh and was failing at it. She thought it had been the funniest thing in the world when she made his money disappear, at least the money they had paid him. "He only did half of the work. I was not about to let him keep money that he didn't earn."

"Maryn…"

"Magnus… we paid him nearly a half a million dollars." Maryn placed hr hands on her hips. "There was no way I was going to let him keep that money."

"I agree with you." Helen said quickly to stem the rest of the explanation she knew her second had already worked up. "If I had been here I would have had Joshua do the same thing. Good work."

"Oh… ok. Since there is nothing else to do today, I'm gonna go and relax." Maryn smiled feeling foolish for launching into an explanation Magnus hadn't asked for. She moved to the door and then turned to say. "Welcome home. I forgot to say that."

John watched the younger woman leave. "She's nothing like her mother." He commented going over to stand next to Helen. Kate had been outspoken, sometimes on the rude side, but mostly she kept to herself. Maryn seemed to be into everything.

"No she's not." Helen agreed moving around her desk to stand beside John. On instinct his arms went around her waist and his cheek rested on the top of her head. "Maryn uses her contact telepathy to make certain she knows her limits and what can be expected from her." Helen explained. "Then when she gets in a vindictive mood she can use her powers for pure evil." Helen remarked a slight teasing tone marring her statement. She must have shook the contractors hand and saw he planned to not complete the rest of the renovations unless he got more money. "Maryn does come in handy."

"I would imagine so." John remarked. He angled his head to watch his son playing with Helen's hair. It was strange to see, to be able to be near his child like this. So much of Ashley's life John had missed out on. He was just happy not to be missing any of James's life. James looked at him with a goofy grin. John couldn't help but to return the smile. Now that he was standing still fatigue slammed into him. John had been going full tilt for months.

"There's nothing more for me to do here, Maryn took care of it all." Helen sensed John's fatigue, but knew he wouldn't speak on it. "You could go and lie down for a few hours." She offered hoping John would take her up on it.

To be playful John asked, "Are you offering to take me to bed?" He nuzzled his nose in her hair drawing in her scent, letting it fill his lungs. More than anything he wanted to be horizontal holding Helen while sleep claimed him.

Helen froze for a second. The last time she had taken John to bed, their son was the result. "John, we've been down this road before." She angled her head up and kissed his pulse point. "Those other times, I wasn't ready. The last time you and I were in bed together I wanted to…"

John covered her mouth with his hand, "Sh, sh, sh… I want to keep us together this time too." He answered kissing her temple. Still having his hand over Helen's mouth, John watched as his son lifted his little hand up to place it over his. He felt Helen's laughter shake her body as John laughed as well. "I think our son is trying to tell you something." John teased. He found he could do that again. John could freely tease Helen, could freely hold her or kiss her, and she would let him. He lowered his hand letting his son take a hold of his finger.

"You and I belong together." Helen whispered. She kissed John's pulse again and then placed a gentle kiss to the brow of her son. James had no idea the trials his parents had gone through. He was just a happy child basking in the attention of his parents. Helen couldn't be happier. She had John by her side to see all the joys of being a parent. Stepping out of the safe shelter that John's arms provided Helen bade him follow her to her room.

**KITCHEN:**

Maryn sat on one of the counters eating a bowl of instant Velveeta shells. She had been making so many calls and doing so many other things that she nearly forgot to eat until her stomach grumbled at her. Now she found herself eating what the Big Guy had set aside for her. As she ate Maryn thought about the information she had managed to get from John Druitt, the famed Ripper of White chapel. Inside he was suffering, tormented. There, inside of him was a rare energy elemental in a weakened state. She was amazed that he had managed to be as calm as he was. Elementals were known to be deadly and quick to anger. Still, even with all that information Maryn sensed she could trust Druitt. Magnus must if she brought him here.

"Finally got around to eating I see." Adam had been at the door watching Maryn for the last few minutes. He could tell she was thinking just by the way her brow would crease in concentration.

"Still lurking I see." Maryn said with a mouthful of food. She knew Adam had been standing there and it annoyed her that he felt compelled to watch her. In the dark of the kitchen Maryn could make out Adam as if it was the clear light of day. She thanked her father, Gariss, for that ability with her Harouten eyes. Maryn set aside the bowl of macaroni and hopped down fro the table. "What do you want Adam?"

"I just want to know if everything's ok." His father told him that nothing was more important to a cohesive team than trust. Adam was trying to build trust with Maryn and she was unwilling to let him try. Maybe he would put a call into his father and ask for advice on how to handle the daughter of Kate Freelander.

"I'm fine." Maryn said moving past the youngest Zimmerman. Adam gently grabbed her upper arm to stop her. "Adam, let go." She hated when anyone touched her.

"Why won't you talk to me?" Adam asked lowering his hand.

"I'm not your friend, your lover, or sister. I don't have to talk to you." Maryn warned eyeing Adam with distrust. She had gotten another glimpse into his mind and Adam saw her as vulnerable, someone in need of protection. That bothered her. When she was a kid in Hollow Earth Maryn had to prove that she was capable of being strong, of defending against the humans should they invade. But she had a little too much of her mother in her and Maryn had gone looking for trouble. One night she snuck out through one of the opened calderas. She could still hear the gun fire ringing out through the night as she ran, crashing through the brush. Then, as if it was a miracle Helen Magnus had found her and gotten her to safety. Maryn never asked Helen how she found her, but then again she didn't have to. It was obvious that her mother had called her old boss.

"But we do work together. I need to know that your head will be in the right place should we be out in the field together." Adam pointed out. He hadn't been cleared for field work because his marksmanship was still poor, but he was confident that he would soon be sent out on missions once the Sanctuary was done.

"That's the thing Adam, my head is my business." Maryn pushed past him and out of the makeshift kitchen to head to her room.

"Do you think she gets tired of knowing everything about everyone in this place?" Adam asked knowing that the Big Guy was just outside the door.

"I think she needs more time to trust." He grumbled. Maryn was a hard puzzle to understand. She was strong, outgoing, and she would put her life on the line to defend any one of them. But she shied away from anyone who wanted to get close to her. He thought it had to do with her contact telepathy, only no he wasn't so sure. Maryn was a Hollow earth hybrid, an oddity. She had to work twice as hard to prove her worth. At least that was how he imagined Maryn would view things.

"The only one she really trusts is Magnus." Adam had known that from day one, from the moment he stepped foot in the door at the old sanctuary in North America.

"It's different for her." The Big Guy said. "We abnormals tend stick with our own." It wasn't much of an explanation, but it was the best one he had to offer. He was sure that was how Maryn saw herself. An abnormal against the humans. She had to work with them, had to learn to deal with them even when she was half human. It was side of herself that he was sure Maryn hated.

**HELEN'S BEDROOM:**

John opened the large mahogany door for Helen. The room was opulent in its Victorian style. One wall was nothing but floor to ceiling windows adorned with heavy maroon curtains to block out the sun when they were closed. He saw the bed pulled away from the wall that had golden gossamer veils pulled around the four posters. Next to the bed was a carved crib where he was sure his son slept. This room allowed for a couch that was facing a fire place. Behind the couch facing the window was another desk with a few computers.

"Amazed?" Helen teased going over to the crib so she could set her son down. James fussed for a few seconds before he saw the blue teddy bear that Maryn had given him. She smiled as his little hands latched onto it. John had come over to her side and she took his hand while still staring at their son. Maryn was right when she said they had made a cute kid. Her son was mostly John from the dark hair to the bright shining blue of his eyes.

John couldn't stop staring at his son. He was perfect. "Our son…" There were no words to describe how he was feeling watching his son. John lightly squeezed Helen's in their perfect moment. If he could choose one moment to last forever; this would be his moment. Right here with Helen and James, John was content. He didn't care if tomorrow ever came. Leaning into Helen he kissed the side of her head. His energy was being depleted, John had to sleep soon. "I'm going to stretch out on the couch." He muttered.

"John, you don't have to." Helen placed her hand over his heart. "You can sleep in the bed right beside me." She let him see the truth of her words in her eyes. She needed him to know that she had truly forgiven him. All the hate and anger she had stored up against him had been tiring. It took way too much to distrust him. The last time they were together, working side by side, she had nearly gotten him killed by sending him into a trap meant for her. Helen had nearly lost him that day and that thought had forced her to give up, to let him back in, and to trust him. "I forgave you that night." She whispered pulling him into a hug.

John fought back the wave of emotion storming inside of him. Helen said the one thing he had longed to hear from her. She forgave him. That mattered more to him than her saying she still loved him. He wrapped his arms around her, fingers digging into the fabric of her shirt. Helen actually forgave him. John couldn't get over it. "Tell me again. I need to hear you say it." He begged.

"I forgive you John." Helen choked out past her churning emotions. She was happy to finally have her family. John was here, with her, and with their son. All was right with her world. Starting over was what she had needed. Maybe now they could have the life they were meant to have. She was shocked when he pulled back and kissed her. Helen gasped giving John the entrance he needed.

John never imagined how good it would feel to hear Helen forgiving him. He was overwhelmed to the point that John had to kiss her. She tasted just like always, spicy and sweet all at the same time. Her hands came up and tangled in his hair as he picked her up taking her to the bed. _I love you!_ His heart screamed out hoping that Helen could feel it.

Helen felt alive. "John…" she moaned in between his heated kisses. "We've been…" John plundered her mouth. Helen wanted him to keep kissing her, wanted to keep breathing the same air as him. "Stop… let me breathe." She begged. John relented resting her head against her cheek breathing heavily. "We can't do this. Not yet." She kissed his temple.

"What do you want me to do?" John asked setting Helen down on the bed. His eyes devoured her as she sat there watching him. He was so hungry for her that it felt as if he was starving. "Ask anything of me and I will do it." John knelt down in front of her.

"I want you to get changed, come to bed, and hold me while we listen to the delighted giggles of our son." Helen replied cupping John's face. His smile was brighter than the sun and it warmed her heart. John turned his head and placed a kiss on each palm before moving away. Helen rose from the edge of the bed to look at James again. He was sitting up tugging on the right ear of his bear. Helen leaned over and kissed the top of his head. She walked away to the dresser where she kept her night clothes. Out of the top drawer she pulled out a black nightgown with spaghetti straps and a deep V cut in the front and back. She turned away from the dresser to face John who was watching her with an intent look.

John watched her and matched her move for move. When she took off her shirt he did the same. John pulled free the button of his pants, lowered the zipper, and waited for Helen. He watched as she removed her bra and tossed it to the floor with her shirt. She unfolded the night gown and put it on. It cascaded around her giving John just a hint of her creamy skin beneath the thin black gossamer fabric. His heart rate sky rocketed at the sight of her. John grabbed the black tank top he had and put it on pulling the fabric down to meet the top of his pants.

Helen thought she would pass out from watching John undress with her. His thumbs hooked into the waistband of his pants slowly peeling them off his hips. Helen sucked in a sharp breath. Mirroring him, Helen pulled the edge of her night gown up so she could unhook the closure of her slacks. They fell down her legs to pool on the floor. She stepped out of them letting the hem of her gown fall to whisper around her thighs. Helen took a step and had to grab the edge of the couch as she watched John lower the leather of his pants and kick them away from his legs. She continued to watch as he pulled on a pair of thin blue linen pants. That was it, her heart was thundering and she could barely stand. Helen stretched out her left arm, using her right hand to stay braced against the couch. She was pleading with him to come to her.

John tightened the draw string of his linen pants, tying them off before going to Helen. In three long legged strides he was at her side. Without her saying anything John scooped her in his arms so he could carry her back to the bed. "Weak at the knees are we darling?" He asked knowing the effect he could have on her. By way of her answer Helen ran her finger through his hair and kissed his cheek quickly. John was standing back by the bed slowly setting Helen down on her own feet again. He pulled away the covers waiting for her to slip beneath them.

Helen slipped beneath the covers moving to the center of the bed signaling to John to join her. He followed her in to the bed and immediately stretched out bending his right arm behind his head. His left arm lay against the pillows inviting her against him. Lying down next to him, Helen pillowed her head over his heart fixing her eyes on their sons crib. She pulled the covers over them feeling secure when John draped his left arm around her. Normally while waiting to fall asleep she would watch her son and James would pull himself up to stand at the edge of his crib. Tonight was no different. James reached over the edge stretching out his small arm towards his bed. John uncurled his arm and reached out his hand. James just laughed his happy little laugh. Helen knew her son would settle down soon enough and go to sleep. Snuggling closer Helen let her eyes fall close and for the first time since coming here she felt truly at home.

**JUST AFTER DAWN:**

John was being pulled out of sleep by the sound of a baby crying. He opened his eyes just as Helen did. Next to the bed his son was crying. "You stay in bed, I'll see to our son." John slurred rolling out of bed. He went over to the crib and picked up his son whose face was red and his cheeks tear stained. "Come now, no more crying." John whispered holding James close. His sons tears abated and he started to hiccup. John started to hum and pat the baby's back while gently swaying to the somber melody he was humming.

Helen stayed on her side watching John through half open lids. He was soothing his son with light humming and a gentle swaying that reminded Helen just how sensitive her Druitt could be. It made her love for him grow, swelling her heart. She could lie here and watch him like this for hours.

John turned back to the bed to look at Helen who was just grinning at him like the Cheshire Cat from Alice in Wonderland. It made him smirk at her as he shifted James against his hip so his son could see his mother. "Look," John kissed his son's head, "There's mummy right there." James giggled stretching out one arm towards Helen. John moved back to the bed to sit with Helen.

Helen sat up and held out her arms, "Come here my love." John handed their son to her so he could slip back into bed with her. Helen held her son and kissed John before leaning against him. Instantly her son settled down and fell asleep against her. "I guess he wanted his mother."

"So do I," John agreed settling back against the pillows while Helen rested against him. He wrapped his arms around both Helen and their son letting his mind settle so he could lightly doze.


	3. Chapter 3

Summary: 50 years have past, Helen goes to find John. **A/U**

Disclaimer: I own noting of Sanctuary

Rating: T+

Pairing: Helen and John

**A SECOND CHANCE:**

**MARYN'S ROOM:**

It was as if she was back there all over, hearing everything all over again. Maryn dreamt of the night she had been cut off from her home. She had been running full out with the heavy foot falls of the LOTUS soldiers pursuing her. Gun shots rang out followed by pain. Her shoulder exploded with white hot pain that sped down her arm. It was closely followed by more pain at her side and her upper thigh. In her room Maryn screamed out in pain while still trapped in the dream. She tossed and turned and fought to be free from the dream. But it would not relent. It held her firmly in the deepest darkest part of her mind making her relive the pain. But then Magnus had been there. She had saved Maryn and brought her to a place where she could be safe and cared for.

The Big Guy had been roaming the newest Sanctuary making sure that most of their home was secure. He had silently checked on Helen and the baby finding Druitt in bed with his oldest friend. The sight of them and their child a few feet from them had made a part of him content that both of them were protected. As quietly as he had before, he closed the door leaving the small family to their sleep. This was his nightly habit; checking on his loved ones while they slumbered.

Passing by he heard Maryn's screams of pain. The part of him was the protector jumped into gear. He went through her door to see the young woman tossing and turning in her bed. She was crying. That tore at his heart. Keeping quiet he went to the chair next to the bed, moved it closer, and then took her hand holding it in both of his. Even still in the grips of sleep Maryn could feel his hand holding hers. He just hoped it brought her comfort as she navigated her nightmare. Instantly her hand tightened on his. Sky blue feline eyes met his and the fear in them fled. He smiled at her whispering, "It's ok."

"Make it stop." Maryn begged tightening her hand on his even further. Her two hearts were thundering in her chest with fear and panic. A part of her mind was still trapped in the dream; the need to flee gnawing at her. The Big Guy was there with her trying to calm her down, make her feel safe.

"Maryn, look around, you're safe." He pointed to the necklace that she had hanging on the outside of a lamp shade that her father Gariss had made for her. Whenever Maryn looked at it she was calmed.

Maryn wanted to cry, not just for what she had been through but for the fact she split her family. Her brothers and sister were still in Hollow Earth with her mother and father while she was on the surface doing what Kate Freelander had done. "I wanna go home." Maryn turned her tear stained face into her blankets and cried harder. These were the times when the nightmares were the worst that she wanted to be with her mother.

He understood her pain. Slipping out of the chair he sat on the floor and rested his temple on the edge of the mattress to watch the girl cry. She had to get it all out of her system until the next time when the nightmares became too much to keep bottled up. He listened to her cry, felt her shaking, and he would remain with her until she fell back to sleep.

**9A.M:**

Helen spent a good portion of her morning with John and their son watching John entertain the small child while she dressed and went over the notes Maryn had made for her meeting with the site manger. For a good while she had been so distracted by the joyous laughter of her son that she curled up on the couch to watch John and James. Then she happened to look at the clock on her mantle and it was time for her to meet with the manager. James had immediately went from laughing to crying. Helen stopped, instinct bringing her back to her son, only to find John lifting the boy in his arms. James still reached out his arms for her. She returned to John to kiss him lightly and to place a kiss on the top of her sons head. This time she went to the door with only light cries for her to return. Helen walked down the stairs to the second level fighting off tears. She wanted to go back to John and watch him and James all day. Only she couldn't. Helen had a Sanctuary to run.

Helen walked into her office tugging the edges of her suit jacket down to straighten out what wrinkles she thought were in it. Standing by the window sipping something from a travel mug was Ravi. He had been an Abnormal she had helped seventeen years ago escape capture from the LOTUS team. He was a Harouten like Maryn. "Hello Ravi."

"Hello Dr. Magnus," Ravi turned from the window to see the beautiful Helen Magnus wearing a business suit looking as she had the first time he had come to her for help. "I got a call from Maryn. She said you needed a better construction company to finish your renovations." He took her offered hand, bringing her knuckles up to his lips. Ravi placed a light kiss to her delicate skin.

Helen smiled gently taking her hand back and then motioned to her desk. She would be happy when the heavy clear plastic was removed and everything was completed. "I assume Maryn detailed everything we need done?" Helen asked taking her seat noticing more notes Maryn had made for her.

"Yes, she sent the plans of the renovations to me by private messenger. What she has marked down are extensive remodels to this already ancient structure." Ravi pulled off the top of the cylinder so he could remove the plans Maryn had sent him. "I'm confident that I can have all of the renovations done inside a month at least. That's just a rough estimate and I will be using an all abnormal crew. I figured that would be safer."

"Yes of course." Helen agreed. "As for what I would like complete first; the lab is the top priority as well as the holding areas contained with in it."

"That should not be a question." Ravi answered looking at the plans. "I will have crews working all over in the Sanctuary. To optimize efficiency we'll work two shifts twelve hours between two teams. Would it be a problem for my crew to be here at night?"

"As long as the night crew sticks to the lower levels at night," Helen stipulated, "I have an infant son."

Ravi smiled, "Congratulations." He smiled. "I more than understand."

"Thank you." Helen inclined her head and then saw Maryn standing in the open doorway. "Excuse me." She rose from her chair and walked briskly over to Maryn. Therein the young woman's eyes were the ghosts of her past.

Maryn hadn't intended to sleep as late as she had but her mind had had other plans for her. She woke up with her arm dangling over the edge and the Big Guy gone. Before she knew it, it was 9:30am. "I'm sorry for being late."

Helen shook her head, "Maryn, are you alright?" Not too long ago Helen had looked like Maryn, had the ghosts lingering in her own eyes. So many things had happened in her long life that came back to haunt her.

"The same nightmare came out to play last night." Maryn answered looking down at the floor. Helen's hand rested lightly at her shoulder, but that didn't stop the cringe of a phantom pain from zinging down from her shoulder into her fingers leaving the feeling of pins and needles.

"We can talk later if you feel like it?" Helen offered. All the other times she had offered Maryn had turned her down, still she kept at it.

"Thanks doc." Maryn smiled and then mentally stepped back from her broken past. She saw Ravi walking towards them. Gone was the scared child to be replaced by the confident Second to Helen Magnus and the Sanctuary Network. "Hello Ravi. I hope you can forgive me absence, but there were matters I had to attend to."

"Of course," Ravi leaned in and kissed her on her cheek. "It seems I'll be seeing you more and more now. Dr. Magnus, my crew and I will be here tomorrow and we'll finalize things then."

"Sounds perfect," Helen agreed.

"Until tomorrow," Ravi moved through the open door and headed back to the front door.

John stood at the top of the steps with his son balanced on his hip watching an Abnormal leave. That must have been the contractor Maryn had talked to. "Well, hello there." John turned seeing the young Freelander staring at him all smiles. Before he could say anything James squirmed in his arms, reaching out for Maryn. The young woman came closer holding out her arms and John relented. His son wanted to be held by the younger woman. Without complaint John passed James over to Maryn watching the way his son tried to clap his tiny hands.

"Your son is so adorable." Maryn scrunched her nose up making faces at James. She bounced back and forth from foot to foot laughing.

"He seems to like you." John mused. His son turned to him with a grin that warmed John's heart.

"Yeah, but he much prefers you. I can see that." Maryn nuzzled James's cheek and then passed him back to his father. There was no doubt in her mind that James and Helen would be safer now that John was around. The former Ripper desired nothing more than his family, wanted nothing more than Helen. Now he had her. "I've never seen the Doc as happy as she is when you walk through the door."

John didn't know what to say to that. He just stared at the young woman as if she had grown another head. No one could tell what was going on in Helen's head except for James. Finally he asked, "How could you possibly know that?"

"I saw inside her mind once on accident. She had strayed into a memory of you walking through a door dressed in black and your hair was longer, around your face…" Maryn recalled the memory and the feeling's Helen had coursing though her. More than anything Magnus had felt exhilaration at seeing John again after so long. "She felt happy, safe, that you were there even though…" Maryn cleared her throat and stopped talking.

"Yes," John said for lack of anything else to say. He didn't know what to say or even how to comment. His past with Helen was turbulent, violent, and dangerous. How could she have ever felt safe with a monster like him?

"I'm sorry…" Maryn read the expression on John's face. She had upset him without meaning too. "I speak without thinking most of the time." It was her greatest failing, the fact that she was born without a shut up filter.

"It's quite alright," John inclined his head desperate to change the subject. "Where might I find Helen?" The young Freelander was sweet and probably meant well. John just was uncomfortable with a complete stranger knowing about his past with Helen.

Maryn pointed back to the office and just smiled. She thought it best not to speak anymore until she learned to bite her tongue and keep certain things to herself. Next time she would do better, at least she hoped so. She moved back out of the way when John strode past her. Maryn let it go and headed down the stairs to go about her daily business. First off she would have to check on Adam and the two abnormals.

Helen was setting a few papers on her desk when she felt John enter. She could always feel him. He was her everything. Turning to him she instantly smiled at their son as he giggled and wiggled in John's arms. Helen couldn't help the laugh that bubbled up in her chest and rang out in the silence between them. "How are my two favorite men?" She went to John and tickled her finger in her son's side just to hear his little laugh.

"You will be so proud of him." John boasted. He leaned over to Helen and kissed her on the forehead before moving away. He crouched down to set his son on his feet. With utter amazement he watched as James took a small step with John holding his hand. John looked up to see Helen holding her hands over her mouth and her eyes wide with delight.

"Oh," Helen sank down to her knees smiling at John. She held out her arms for James to try and come to her but he could only manage one more tiny step before dropping down to the floor to sit. Helen gathered her son close, held him, and kept her eyes on John. This was her family.

"He took his first small step ten minutes after you left." John couldn't believe it still. He had marveled as hi son pulled himself up and with determination took that first daunting step every infant takes. "Of course after that step he fell…"

"And you were right there at his side, picking him up, comforting him." Helen finished. Her tone was soft and full of love. John slid to her, close enough that he could kiss her forehead. "I love you." Helen needed to say it, needed him to hear it; to believe it.

"For all eternity," John answered. For so long he had been wanting to hear those three little words from Helen since he had come back into her life 53 years ago. She was the one person in all the world who kept him grounded, reminded him of the man he was. Now he had a second chance to be the father he should have been to Ashley. His son deserved better. Helen deserved to have the man she fell in love with.

"I wasn't ready for eternity the first time you promised it to me. Now," Helen looked into the clear blue eyes of her son continuing her train of thought, "I can handle our eternity." As mad as she had been at John in the past, Helen could never completely cut him out of her life. He was the reason she had her life the way it was.

**JOSHUA'S LAB:**

At last minute Maryn decided to head to Joshua's lab rather than monitor Brain Boy and the two wonder twin abnormals. The last thing she needed to hear was how amazing it was that the two abnormals could share thoughts and communicate without speech. She could see inside people's minds and so far no one thought that was amazing. Most people thought it was annoying. Except Joshua. He liked the fact she could see inside his mind. That never sat well with Maryn. Still she had to work with him and she liked Joshua a little better than she liked Adam. "Hey Wolf Boy!" Maryn laughed when Joshua turned a playful glare on her.

"What do you want Kitty Cat?" Joshua teased back. He knew she had no feline DNA in her anywhere, but her eyes always made him think cat.

"Tell me something awesome and wonderful that it will keep me here and away from Bran Boy." Maryn rested her palms down on the desk and waited for Joshua to respond to her. Idly Joshua placed his hand on hers; she knew he hoped that she could see into his mind. "I'm wearing gloves." Maryn removed her hand from his and wiggled her block silk gloved hand in his face.

"Can't blame me for trying," Joshua said removing his hand. "Though, on the note of something interesting, I have just that for you." He lycan slid away from his bank of computer screens and went to the networked computer for security. "I found this just a few minutes ago."

Maryn followed him and looked at the lines of code. "A Hacker?" she couldn't believe it, though the Sanctuary Network was public enemy #1 these days. Though, this code was familiar but she couldn't place it. One thing was for sure, Maryn would drive herself crazy trying to figure out who tried to hack their systems. Henry Foss had had years to improve the systems and they were perfect.

"Maybe you should talk to my dad about installing his Steranko Security program." Joshua commented.

"The security system that the Pentagon calls over kill when your dad created it 25 years ago." Maryn replied. "Your dad put in heuristic algorithms to make it learn, to make it hunt down intruders, plus he gave it the personality of pissed off Rottweiler." She shook her head no. It was a last resort program that Henry had created in case the worst should happen. Though, the worse was happening. The world's governments hunted them at every turn, made it impossible to help abnormals, and made funding more than impossible.

"That would be the one… yes." Joshua confirmed. He didn't want to use the system any more than Maryn did, but the security would be worth it if it caught the hacker who tried to get into the system.

Maryn laughed, "Then you suggest it to Helen."

"Oh yeah, that would go over well." Joshua muttered. Maryn mussed his hair playfully and laughed.

**DINNING ROOM:**

Helen sat, as she usually did most nights, with her team in the dinning room. They were eating, drinking, and laughing as each of them told stories. Out of the corner of her eye she saw John looking around at all of them. There was this look of mild confusion and amusement. Reaching over Helen took his hand, lacing their fingers.

Maryn looked down the table at her boss holding the hand of the former Ripper. "We've all told stories, your turn Druitt." She smiled sweetly when he looked at her.

"I beg your pardon." John replied pinning his gaze on Maryn.

"Come on, surely there is an embarrassing story you can tell about the boss." Maryn winked playfully.

"I have no story about Helen," John lied blatantly knowing that Helen would make him sleep on the couch for the rest of his unnatural life if he dared to breathe a word about her rather delicate past. "I do however have a story I could tell about the one and only Sherlock Holmes." John offered sliding his gaze back to Helen adding a wicked smile.

"John…" Helen dragged his name out playfully.

"Relax, it was before you and I met" He brought her hand up to kiss her knuckles.

"Wait wait wait… Sherlock Holmes? You knew him?" Adam asked, complete shock registering on his face.

John looked at the younger Zimmerman, "Didn't your father tell you anything? He met the actual Sherlock Holmes. James Watson…" He trailed off, pain sliced through his heart at just he mention of James. Helen squeezed his hand again. "James Watson was the inspiration for the famed Detective."

"I'm going to have to call him…" Adam bounded out of his seat with his cell phone in hand.

Maryn just shook her head, "Do we get this embarrassing story or not?" There was something about the way Druitt had mentioned James Watson that had her curious. "Just how well did you know him?"

"James was our best friend." Helen answered. "The pain of his loss still…"

"Claws at our hearts." John finished. James had been his cherished love; the only man to know him completely. Betraying Helen had been the worst pain imaginable and it nearly killed him. Betraying James had shattered his heart. Seeing that sort of pain without having a way to stop it still ate at John when he let it. Sometimes he just wished that he could turn off his guilt. Only if he did that then he would be less than human

"Your guys are really Victorian," Joshua piped up before taking sip of his drink. "I must bid you all adieu for I have a date." He couldn't help but slide his eyes to Maryn as she scrutinized John Druitt.

"Another pool hall whore?" Maryn sniped. It took her a second to realize that she had added just a little too much venom to that remark. What was wrong with her? Joshua was a team mate and Maryn made a promise that she wouldn't get emotionally invested in anyone; not when she had a plan to return to Hollow Earth. If she allowed Joshua to get to her then she didn't know what would happen.

Joshua smiled to himself. "No, I have this spectacular date planned with this woman… half the world away and she just happens to be my sister. We are going to tag team this virtual game and take down two upstarts from China who think they are better hackers than we are." He laughed at the startled look Maryn threw him. Truth be told Joshua hadn't gone on a date since he had become apart of Magnus's team three years ago. He had been holding out hope that Maryn would look his way… just once.

"Oh…" Maryn cleared her throat feeling foolish. "Tell Lizzie I said hi." She then quickly got out of her seat and fled the dinning hall. The more time she spent on the surface the more she became confused on if she really wanted to go home.

Helen scowled at Joshua, "That was naughty of you."

"Yeah, I know. She has to realize her home is here now. Hollow Earth has been cut off from us for 50 years. As much as she may want that fact to change, it's not going to." Joshua stated. He could read Maryn when her defenses were down. Inclining his head Joshua left the room to head to his bank of computers to get the virtual settings up and ready.

"They are an odd pair." John muttered. He hadn't missed the roll of Maryn's eyes when the werewolf mentioned he had a date or the way the young Foss smiled a knowing smile at her attitude.

"No odder than the pair we make," Helen teased. Everyone, herself included, had expected her to choose James. He was brilliant, good looking, and had standing within society. Then she had seen John and all bets were off. Druitt was handsome, wickedly so with his gothic beauty and fallen angel eyes. Everything about him drew her attention. The way he smiled had her heart fluttering with excitement. Even James had fallen under the same spell.

John scoffed playfully, "You and I made the perfect pair. We are still the perfect couple," Then his eyes were drawn to the doorway where Helen's friend and manservant waited with their son. Rising from his chair he walked over to the man to greet his son who was enraptured with the braids and was happily tugging at them. As soon as his son saw him the braids were all but forgotten and the small boy was squirming to get to him.

The Big guy tightened his hold on the small boy for a few seconds looking to Helen. He was still so unsure of Druitt's change that he wasn't about to take a chance with the life of an innocent child. Helen nodded one small gesture. It wasn't enough to convince him Druitt was entirely changed, but it was enough that he would trust the immortal around the child.

John didn't miss the glance between Helen and her man servant. The shaggy mess of hair didn't trust him around his own son. It was insulting. Looking at the other man John clarified, "I would no sooner harm my son than myself." Taking James into his arms John had the urge to leave the room, to leave behind the question glance. He didn't. He went back to sit at Helen's right hand.

"I don't trust you Druitt." The Big guy growled.

"I wasn't asking for your trust." John pinned his gaze on Helen's. "I'm asking for yours, but I don't deserve it. I don't deserve you or our son." He hugged his son close feeling all the life the small child had to offer.

"You have it none the less." Helen answered. She had spent so many years learning to forgive him so she could help him. John needed her help to find his way back to his humanity. Helen wanted to be there for him as much as she could and that required that she trust him.

**LATER THAT NIGHT:**

Maryn had been lingering outside the room where Joshua was yelling, laughing, and shouting. It was close to 3am and she should be in bed, but she was afraid to sleep unless that dream came for her again. Instead she was here waiting around for wolf boy to be done his game of Hack and Go Seek. She shook her head. She shouldn't be here. Maryn should just turn and leave, go to bed and take her chances with the vengeful nature of the Dream Gods. Just as she turned from the door it opened. Joshua was there with headphones on and a tablet in his hand. She felt so foolish. "Sorry for…"

"No no, please. Come in." Joshua opened the door moving out of the way to allow Maryn into his inner sanctum where all his hacking equipment rested. This was a thieves den and his most hallowed hide away from the world. No one should be in here, but he felt safe with Maryn being here. She wasn't going to turn him into the authorities with out ruining her stay on the surface.

"Thanks," Maryn went straight to the small love seat to sit down. "I was wondering if you could…" she hung her head. There was no way she could ask him for something that was impossible. Even though Joshua was a genius Maryn was sure he couldn't make a miracle happen.

Joshua crouched down in front of Maryn trying to catch her eyes, "What is it you want from me?" If it was within his power to do then Joshua would try anything for Maryn. He knew she was having trouble being on the surface. Maryn had been with them for three years, yet every day he felt like she had just arrived. She was always looking for ways to go home. Joshua hated that she had one foot out of the door and was ready to run at a moment's notice. Still he would do whatever he could for her. It was his fatal flaw; he just wanted to help her.

"Do you think you could contact Hollow Earth?" Maryn asked, her eyes misting with tears of longing to hear the voices of her mother, her father, and her siblings. Joshua was the only one she knew of who could possibly help her. At least that was her hope.


End file.
